Raja Yoga Syllabus

1. Raja (Royal) Yoga All classes 90 minutes, Open to all Instructor has nearly 40 years of experience in yoga Ongoing, drop-in $15. Pay for 10 classes: $125. 20 Classes: $240. Pay it Forward Sliding Scale available. Open to All.‏

3. Tu, Th, 8:30am, W, 5:30pm, Unity World Healing Center, West Linn ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sundays, 6:30pm, Mondays, 5:30pm, Healing Arts Foundation, Newport ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mondays, 8am, Unity by the Sea, Gleneden Beach ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Steve J Davis, RYT, LMT, NCTMB (503) 724-2755 mobile Call to register. All are welcome. Namaste! www.healinglight.info steve.yoga@yahoo.com

4. Guidelines for the practice of Asanas. No food two to three hours before asana practice. No liquids 15 minutes before asana practice (but hydrate thoroughly with pure water before class. It's OK to drink water during class if you must. This is for your comfort during yoga class. Yoga mat or blanket is helpful but not necessary, depending on the surface. For example, one can do yoga on the beach, right on the sand! For correct sitting posture, one may need a cushion to enable a lumbar curve in the spine, depending on ones flexibility. Some yogis can sit flat on the ground or floor with no cushion or elevation required. A folded blanket of cotton or wool is very useful for this and other purposes in yoga. Some people will need two folded blankets for sitting. The knees should be level with or below the hips when sitting. This ensures the spine has the natural curves for sitting comfortably. Namaste, Steve J Davis, RYT, LMT, NCTMB steve.yoga@yahoo.com www.healinglight.info 503-724-2755 mobile revised 4/25/09

5. Based on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (written in about 200 BC)‏ All classes challenging, yet balanced for each person. Instruction in classic yoga with individual attention to correct alignment in asana, including vinyasa flow, pranayama, awareness of chakras, bandhas, wisdom, love, power, union (yoga). Transform your life with yoga! You will feel and look great!

6. Raja (Royal) Yoga Tues, Thurs, 8:30am, Wed 5:30pm Unity World Healing Center, 20255 Willamette Drive, West Linn, OR 97068 All classes 90 minutes, Open to all. Drop-in $15. Pay for ten classes: $125. 20 classes: $240. Sliding scale available. Call to register: (503) 724-2755. [email_address] www.healinglight.info Instructor Steve J Davis, RYT, LMT, NCTMB has nearly 40 years experience in Yoga. This is the classic yoga! You will feel and look great! Raja (Royal) Yoga is a proven way of wellness, power, and longevity!

7. The path of Raja (Royal) Yoga, also called Astanga (8-limbed) Yoga, consists of: 1. Yamas. Restraints.‏ Ahimsa. Non-violence towards self or other beings. Satya. Tell the truth – do not lie to ones self or to other beings. Asteya. Refrain from stealing from ones self or from others. Brahmacharya. Refrain from lusting. This does not necessarily mean chastity. Aparigraha. Non-attachment. This means to live in the world, and to fully enjoy, but not to be a slave to attachments. One can enjoy life fully, and also be totally free. S

8. 2. Niyamas. Observances. Saucha. Cleanliness. This refers to purity of mind, body, emotions, and spirit, the clear light of being. Santosha. Contentment. Let there be contentment. Tapasya. Duty. Let there be unity within, without, to oneself, and to all. All one. Do not delay in carrying out ones duty. This is responsibility, discipline. It is a joy to be one, to manifest love.‏ Swadhyaya. Self-study. Realize the facts. All are one, yet separate, and again one, depending on the point of view. We are full manifestations of God. It is a play of the Divine. All are one, all Divine. Love is the answer, path, goal.‏ Ishwara Pranidhana. Devotion to the Supreme. All One.

9. 3. Asana. Literally means Seat. Postures should be comfortable, to facilitate all the 8 limbs of Raja Yoga. Asana and Pranayama (fourth limb) go together closely. Proper practice of Asana will assist in making the yogi strong, to be well, to enjoy life, and to realize the joy and purpose in life. Proper anatomical alignment, to improve health, power, and well-being is emphasized. Slow, steady progress in all eight limbs of Raja Yoga is the key to lasting change and progress in yoga.‏

10. 4. Pranayama. Breath. Life power through the breath. Prana means Life energy. Yama means cessation of life, a different phase. Prana is breathing in, out, Yama is the pause between each cycle. It is very interesting to realize that the heart literally rides on the diaphragm.

11. 5. Pratyahara. Centering, to bring the senses and awareness within, to quiet the mind. One can successfully focus on the outside world if one is calm and centered within. It is important to note that concentration on Ajna, the sixth chakra (third eye), is integral to quiet and peace within, and also awareness of within and without can be achieved.

12. 6. Dharana. Concentration on an object or person. Full awareness of meditation.

13. 7. Dhyana. Full union with the person or object of meditation. Two are one, yet again two. Union is achieved with the object or person. Duality and the veil of mind (Maya) is overcome, and union is achieved. Dadaji says that 20 minutes of Dhyana yoga can help to purify the body, to heal.

14. 8. Samadhi. Full union with all.‏ This is a natural state (Swabhava). Kaivalya is total liberation. There is some vibration in Kaivalya state. Above this, from a certain point of view, is Satyanarayana state, where there is no vibration. All vibration comes from this state, and is inseparable from this state. According to Dadaji, full attunement (Satyanarayana state) can be sustained only for a period of about twenty minutes at a time, in order to maintain the body in this world. Satya = Truth. Narayana = Creator .

15. Organization of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali These sutras are in four parts (padas). Pada means foot. • 1. Samadhi Pada I: Contemplation and Meditation • 2. Sadhana Pada II: The Steps To Union • 3. Vibhuti Pada III: Union Achieved And Its Results • 4. Kaivalya Pada IV: Illumination and Freedom

16. We will start with the first pada, Samadhi. We will not take too much time to discuss the Yoga Sutras, but we will address them as we need to. Students are encouraged to study on their own. All the padas are very succinct, about three to four pages long each. All of them can be read in about one hour, or a lifetime. They are available to download for free at my website, or at the translators website, online. There are numerous translations available online, and published in books with commentary. I prefer to study the sutras in their simplest form, without commentary.

17. "I have been taking Yoga from Steve Davis of Healing Light for over a year now. In that time, I have made amazing progress. Steve provides patient, individualized attention to a student’s personal goals. Class is tailored to meet those needs. And it is never boring. New poses are introduced and there is a lot of variety in the warm-up. Although I have participated in yoga classes on and off for several years and had many different teachers, I feel that Steve’s class is responsible for my increased flexibility, strength, balance, and ability to maintain my peaceful frame of mind throughout a busy day. I highly recommend Steve to any beginning or advanced student. Irene F. " Received Feb 16, 2009 Thank you Irene! Namaste

18. Instructor: Steve J Davis, RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher), LMT, NCTMB. (503) 724-2755 mobile – steve.yoga@yahoo.com – www.healinglight.info My teaching draws from experience from nearly 40 years personal yoga practice, and draws the best from various yoga schools and yogis, including Iyengar, Bikram, Astanga, Ananda, and Sri Dadaji (Amiya Roy Chowdhury). I was also fortunate to study with the Tai Chi Master Professor Wen Chi Huang. These last two teachers have given me powerful insights into the root of yoga, and I incorporate this knowledge into my yoga classes. I teach Raja (Astanga) Yoga, based on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

19. "I went to Steve for constant tightness in my shoulders. His massage was like no other I've ever received! He really gets in works on problem areas and seems to know where they are. He went out of his way to study my situation and found ways to resolve them. He has relieved my pain, it took several sessions of massage and his hot rocks and yoga stretches. My fascia adhesions are gone, he has worked it loose! After my first massage I noticed I could turn my neck further then before, breathe, and stand up straight, while walking uphill. He goes out of his way and makes house calls, which is really nice, since I'm so relaxed... I don't want to have to drive after! I highly recommend Steve!!! He also does windows! Chris E." Received 2/16/09 Thank you, Chris! Namaste